Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival Lineup, Contests and Sponsors

Site Staff,
Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival Collage
From Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival Website

BATON ROUGE (press release) – The 9th Annual Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival announced the talent lineup, contests and sponsors for the upcoming festival, May 23-24 at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library (Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.)

From 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. each day, this family-friendly, free-to-the-public event will feature blues, soul, R&B, jazz, gospel and Christian music.

The Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival will also include a Vendor’s Village, a judged Soul Food Cooking Contest and a Mustard Greens and Cornbread Eating Contest.

Festival discounts for this year’s event include two-dollar bowls of Pork and Beans with wieners both days and two-dollar shots of Boone’s Farms Strawberry Hill Wine on Saturday.

Baton Rouge Soul Food Contest Info

The Soul Food Cooking Competition categories include:

  • Meats and Fish (judged Saturday)
  • Vegetables (judged Saturday)
  • Side Dishes (judged Saturday)
  • Breads and Desserts (judged Sunday)
  • Appetizers and Soups (judged Sunday)
  • Beverages and Ices (judged Sunday)

Criteria include Presentation, Taste and the Story or History behind each dish. Contestants need to bring enough food for six people on the day of their judging. First, second and third-place prizes will be awarded in each category.

The Mustard Greens and Cornbread Eating Contest takes place Saturday afternoon.

For more information on the contest and for VIP packages, call 225-802-9681 or visit www.brsoulfoodfest.com.

Talent Lineup

A Pre-party will be held on Thursday, May 21 at Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, located at 2733 North St., Baton Rouge, La., 70802, from 7 p.m. until midnight. Donation is $30 and includes a Soul Food buffet and a no-host bar.

Stage times:

Saturday, May 23
11 – 11:10 a.m., Hosts: Free Spirit, Kerwin Fealing and Princess Teha with DJ Olu
11:15 – 11:35 a.m., Adam Gabriel (Soul/Southern Blues)
11:40 a.m. – 12 p.m., Susie Shepherd (R&B/Country)
12:10 – 12:40 p.m., Ervin “Maestro” Foster & My Better Half (Jazz/Pop/Blues)
12:50 – 1:15 p.m., Phoenix Rouge Dance Troupe (Belly Dancing)
1 p.m., Soul Food Cooking Contest Judging – Meats & Fish, Vegetable & Sides – Judges: Reggie Marion, Rita Rushing Jones, Nokia Wilson-Nelson
1:20 – 1:45 p.m., Stephen King (Christian Rap)
2 – 2:20 p.m., Pastor Leon Hitchens  (Christian/Gospel)
2:30 – 3 p.m., Shadow Road Band  (Blue Eyed Soul)
3:15 – 3:45 p.m., Karly Monday (Christian)
4 – 4:15 p.m., Soul Food Winners – Meats and Fish, Vegetables and Side Dishes
4:30 – 5:15 p.m., Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor (Soul/Blues/Funk/Reggae)
5:25 – 5:45 p.m., Mustard Greens and Cornbread Eating Contest
6 – 6:30 p.m., Carlo Ditta (New Orleans R&B)
6:40 – 7:10 p.m., Rodney Gipson (Jazz)
7:20 p.m. until close, LA Grove (Old School R&B)

Sunday, May 24
11 a.m. – 12 p.m., Hosts: Free Spirit,  Kerwin Fealing and Princess Teha with DJ Olu
11:30 – 11:50 a.m., Ms. Pressure (Southern Soul)
12 – 12:20 p.m., Mister Cotton (Southern Blues/Soul)
12:30 – 12:50 p.m., Xavie Shorts (Christian)
1 – 1:20 p.m., Kelton ‘Nspire Harper (Motivational)
1:30 – 1:50 p.m., King Solomon (Blues/R&B/Soul)
2:10 – 2:40 p.m., House of God Praise Team (Gospel Choir)
2 p.m., Soul Food Cooking Contest Judging – Appetizer & Soups, Breads & Desserts, Beverages – Judges: Reggie Marion, Rita Jones Rushing, Nakia Wilson-Nelson
2:50 – 3:10 p.m., Uncle Chess (R&B/Soul)
3:25 – 3:55 p.m., Lisa Harris-Tina Turner Tribute
4:05 – 4:25 p.m., Sir AP (Poet)
4:30 – 5 p.m., Soul Food Winners – Appetizers & Soups, Breads & Desserts, Ices & Drinks
5:15 – 6 p.m., Henry Turner, Jr. & Flavor  (Blues/Soul/Funk/Reggae), 5:30 – 5:45 p.m.
6:15 – 6:40 p.m., Princess Teha (Christian)
7 p.m. until close, Eilene Rockette and the House of God Church Healing and Deliverance Youth Dance Praise Team (Gospel)

*Lineup Subject to Change

Baton Rouge Soul Food Fest Sponsors

Sponsors for the festival are Visit Baton Rouge, WBRZ Television, Ch. 2, 2+ and their affiliate stations (WBTZ, Ch. 36.1 and WBRZ.com), East Baton Rouge Parish Libraries, Blue Runner, Thomas Law Firm (Vernon W. Thomas, Esq.), Joyful Jumps, Cutting Edge CE Conference and Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room Museum Foundation.

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